Packers wanted McKenzie, too

As it turns out, there were two suitors for the services of cornerback Mike McKenzie, one of the unlikely heroes of Monday night’s game for the ages between the Saints and the Patriots.

Per a league source, the Packers were chasing McKenzie, too.

The need was obvious — the Packers recently lost cornerback Al Harris for the year with a torn ACL.

In the end, McKenzie selected the Saints, in part because the Saints were willing to omit from his contract any language protecting the team against further salary obligation if a knee injury were to land McKenzie on injured reserve.

That said, it’s unknown whether the Packers ever had an option to match the contract that the Saints gave to McKenzie. The 10-year veteran worked out for the Saints and signed there without visiting Green Bay.

McKenzie entered the league as part of a 1999 Packers draft class that obviously was aimed at dealing with Vikings receiver Randy Moss, who had made good on his promise to “rip up” the league as a rookie the prior season. In round one, Green Bay drafted cornerback Antuan Edwards. In round two, the Packers added cornerback Fred Vinson. McKenzie arrived in round three, and defensive back Chris Akins was picked in round seven.

Edwards, who was moved to safety, ultimately became a bust. McKenzie far and away emerged as the best of the bunch.

Actually per MY source the Packers declined to interview /work him out after HE CALLED THEM!

MrHumble says:Dec 2, 2009 12:30 PM

Tausher, Clifton, A. Green….McKenzie…sounds like the Packers are starting to realize how good they had it……what next, do they go after Sharper, Longwell and ……….Favre!!!!???? Have they put in a call to Hornung and Starr too, LMAO. First Ted Thompson runs ’em all out of town and now he wants ’em all back.

ronburgundy says:Dec 2, 2009 12:31 PM

And Vinson was traded straight up for Ahman Green… Not a bad pull.

sven_ftw says:Dec 2, 2009 12:32 PM

mc kenzie didn’t want packers. because they’re not about to win jack…

ShimSham says:Dec 2, 2009 12:32 PM

Not terribly surprising, McKenzie is far more familiar with the Saints than he is the Packers right now.

Hauschild says:Dec 2, 2009 12:36 PM

“Tight Teddy” strikes again.

myasylum says:Dec 2, 2009 12:40 PM

I kind of wondered if the Packers would pursue him.
It seemed like a perfect fit.
For McKenzie though, he chose wisely.

PackFaninPackLand says:Dec 2, 2009 12:45 PM

But hey, we still have Jarrett Bush, right ???

Fan of Football says:Dec 2, 2009 12:46 PM

Of course McKenzie didn’t want to come to GB. No player really wants to play for Ted Thompson, and in a recent players poll GB was the 3rd least desirable place to play. Before TT arrived, GB had no trouble getting FAs since 92.

ShimSham says:Dec 2, 2009 12:49 PM

“Tausher, Clifton, A. Green….McKenzie…sounds like the Packers are starting to realize how good they had it… First Ted Thompson runs ’em all out of town and now he wants ’em all back.”
Good job. First, Clifton has been on the team the entire time. Tauscher was signed as soon as he was healthy enough to play again. He wasn’t run out as you seem to imply. He wasn’t on any team because he was still recovering from knee surgery. And Ahman Green was signed because the 3rd string back had to be put on IR.
Are some of you really this delusional?

wrath4771 says:Dec 2, 2009 12:50 PM

I don’t think McKenzie liked it in Green Bay. When he would show up On Packerrom Live or any of those shows he just had that stunned look like, “Holy *&^%# I’m in Green Bay.”

marcduke says:Dec 2, 2009 12:57 PM

“Of course McKenzie didn’t want to come to GB. No player really wants to play for Ted Thompson, and in a recent players poll GB was the 3rd least desirable place to play. Before TT arrived, GB had no trouble getting FAs since 92.”
Source please, or is this just more of your BS?

DeuceDeuce13 says:Dec 2, 2009 12:59 PM

i can understand chris mcalister but not sure why the ravens didnt go after mckinzie…they obviously need help at corner with no real vets on the team

hayward giablommi says:Dec 2, 2009 1:03 PM

^ Will be curious to see how the Thompson haters respond if the the Vikings and Packers play in the playoffs, which is very possible, and Favre throws one of his epic 5 INT, season crushing gems.
The final chapter may not have been written yet.

jeff says:Dec 2, 2009 1:10 PM

marcduke:
That poll was on CNN/SI.com have you been under a rock lately? There is a whole world wide web out there. By the way, WE LANDED ON THE MOON!!
shimsham:
We are less delusional than you Packer fans that not only think you are going to the playoffs, but are dumb enought to think you’d beat the Vikes IF you got there.

ShimSham says:Dec 2, 2009 1:12 PM

“Source please, or is this just more of your BS?”
It’s FoF’s typical BS. There was a recent poll that said Green Bay was the third least desirable place to go but I can’t remember who conducted it and how wide the sample was. Plus he doesn’t exactly have a similar poll from ’92-’04 that says the opposite. He’s just trying to, again, bash Ted Thompson by trying to connect the dots and say that Ted is the reason players don’t want to play in Green Bay. Grasping at straws to make his point as usual.

gbsparks says:Dec 2, 2009 1:19 PM

“Of course McKenzie didn’t want to come to GB. No player really wants to play for Ted Thompson, and in a recent players poll GB was the 3rd least desirable place to play. Before TT arrived, GB had no trouble getting FAs since 92.”
Please provide a source, other than yourself.

Manny Feltersnatch says:Dec 2, 2009 1:24 PM

“Will be curious to see how the Thompson haters respond if the the Vikings and Packers play in the playoffs, which is very possible, and Favre throws one of his epic 5 INT, season crushing gems.
The final chapter may not have been written yet. ”
That would be oh so sweet.

Of course it’d be sweet to see Favre throws interception and let Packers win. But it’s more of a wishful thinking of Favre throwing INTs like yesteryears. If the Packers are fortunate to be in the playoffs, gotta be prepared mentally and physically to win the game, while expecting Favre to be at the top of his game.

mixman34 says:Dec 2, 2009 1:52 PM

Plus he doesn’t exactly have a similar poll from ’92-’04 that says the opposite.
HAHAHAHA are we living in ’92-’04?
The point is Teddy T is making dudes not want to play there and good luck bringing in Free agents!

Fan_Of_ Four says:Dec 2, 2009 1:52 PM

Boy did he make the right choice…who the hell would want to play for Thompson ? The Saints are headed deep into the playoffs while Green Bay has already peaked.
LOL Good choice Mike.

Love_Boat_Scandal says:Dec 2, 2009 1:52 PM

MrHumble says:
December 2, 2009 12:30 PM
Tausher, Clifton, A. Green….McKenzie…sounds like the Packers are starting to realize how good they had it. . . . First Ted Thompson runs ’em all out of town and now he wants ’em all back.
TT never ran McKenzie out of town. McKenzie was already gone when TT arrived. Clifton has always been on the team. Tauscher’s contract expired and he was injured. Once he healed up, he was signed back. And Green signed a big (overpriced) contract with the Texans.

Bob Loblaw says:Dec 2, 2009 1:58 PM

I don’t see why Packer fans seem convinced that Favre will melt down and be an INT machine in the playoffs, just because he did it with Green Bay where his role was completely different. I guess it’s the only form of hope the Packers fans have, so it’s something to cling to.
Being familar with Favre, you should know that the reason he threw so mant INTs throughout his career in Green Bay is he felt the burden to carry the team and make plays happen (aka be a gunslinger). He’s now in a situation where he’s comfortable taking what’s available because he has a running game and defense that can hold their own, so the team doesn’t need him force plays to have a chance to win.
A more fair statment would be to hope for Adrian Peterson to fumble five times because he’s got the same mentality that Favre had years ago, which is to make plays happen. Almost all his fumbles are the result of fighting for extra yardage and not letting the first few defenders take him down. Right now Peterson is is the NFL’s leading fumbler atRB, but his fumble rate is about equal to what Walter Payton, Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, Tony Dorsett and other great RBs did in their first few years. He’ll figure it out, the same as the other greats, but until then his fumbling is a more likely scenario than Favre throwing INTs like he’s Jay Cutler or Jake Delhomme.

ShimSham says:Dec 2, 2009 2:00 PM

“HAHAHAHA are we living in ’92-’04?”
No, but the point of his argument is that Green Bay didn’t have this “problem” before Thompson took over as GM. Unfortunately, he has absolutely no evidence to support that. Hence, why I called him out.
It’s just conjecture.

jeff says:Dec 2, 2009 2:10 PM

ShimSham says:
December 2, 2009 1:12 PM
“Source please, or is this just more of your BS?”
It’s FoF’s typical BS. There was a recent poll that said Green Bay was the third least desirable place to go but I can’t remember who conducted it and how wide the sample was. Plus he doesn’t exactly have a similar poll from ’92-’04 that says the opposite. He’s just trying to, again, bash Ted Thompson by trying to connect the dots and say that Ted is the reason players don’t want to play in Green Bay. Grasping at straws to make his point as usual.
============================
Where is a different correlation then, You provide none.
Pretty sure nobody wants to play for Teddy teabag.

gbsparks says:Dec 2, 2009 2:21 PM

“Of course McKenzie didn’t want to come to GB. No player really wants to play for Ted Thompson, and in a recent players poll GB was the 3rd least desirable place to play. Before TT arrived, GB had no trouble getting FAs since 92.”
Actually, the poll, is based on the response of 296 players (9.5/team) and indicated that 13% of these players found Green Bay the least desirable option.
This, of course, means that 87% did not find it undesirable. Other than Oakland, the bottom 4 teams are located in northern climes. Big surprise.
As Mark Twain said: There are lies, damn lies and statistics.

Sheesh says:Dec 2, 2009 2:22 PM

I’m not sure uncle Teddy would sign Adrian peterson if if had to give up any 3rd picks or higher…the guy is keeping the Packers from taking the next step…

murray22 says:Dec 2, 2009 2:24 PM

Mckenzie didn’t want to be in Green Bay when he first left the team. Woodson is a huge upgrade over him. McKenzie played well last week, but he wasn’t on any team’s roster until injuries started happening. Even the Saints didn’t have him. He played well for one game, but let’s not get carried away. Are you Thompson haters going to blame Ted when your wife or girlfriend leaves? Get a life.

Sheesh says:Dec 2, 2009 2:24 PM

Anyone think Teddy could take Bud Adams in a fight?

purpleguy says:Dec 2, 2009 2:28 PM

It was a player survey by Sports Illustrated listed in last week’s magazine (and maybe on-line), and the Pack was 3rd. Certainly, the poll had nothing to do with Mckenzie’s choice, although my recollection was that he forced his way out of Green Bay because he generally wasn’t happy with most everything over there. Why not go to the undefeated team? Hell, he probably would have picked New Orleans over Indianapolis.

stetai says:Dec 2, 2009 2:32 PM

Name me one player that Ted Thompson managed to acquire when competing with anyone else.
He could not close a deal to save his life. Randy Moss, Mike McKenzie, and a whole host of others that he showed interest in and wasn’t close to being able to convince anyone to come here. Unless offered truckloads of money, who on Earth in their right mind would go to Green Bay if they had an option to play anywhere else.
The Packers ahve shown how loyal they are to players, and have also shown what kind of treatment players can expect.
I just hope Donald Driver finds a good home on a winning team when he is shown the door and his locker is mailed to him.

bluestree says:Dec 2, 2009 2:40 PM

mixman34 says:
December 2, 2009 1:52 PM
The point is Teddy T is making dudes not want to play there and good luck bringing in Free agents.
_______________________________
And likewise, good luck trying to keep an NFL team in your city.

Ambrose says:Dec 2, 2009 2:42 PM

This is news? Why wouldn’t the Packers look at this guy? And why wouldn’t he (at least) consider playing with the #1 ranked D? The Saints offer was better, that’s why. Everyone seems to forget that this is a business first and a place to play out your personal frustrations second. And he also probably wanted to assure himself with a path-of-least-resistance to a championship, which at the moment appears to be the the Saints, because he is not getting any younger; (does that sound familiar?) In the meantime, the Packers are continuing to improve each week and it promises to be a very interesting month in December. I am fully expecting the Packers to do well this year, despite losing twice to the Vikings. The Vikings will earn themselves a round of applause and an old-fashioned “good for you”, because those two wins are the most they are going to have to cheer for when it is all said and done.

Bob Nelson says:Dec 2, 2009 2:46 PM

McKenzie and Darren Sharper both former Packers shut down Randy Moss once again Monday Night.
That Moss has always been over rated as the poor Raiders found out. Al Davis got swindled on that deal.

bluestree says:Dec 2, 2009 3:02 PM

Bob Loblaw says:
December 2, 2009 1:58 PM
“I don’t see why Packer fans seem convinced that Favre will melt down and be an INT machine in the playoffs, just because he did it with Green Bay where his role was completely different.”
________________________
His role was no different in Green Bay than it is now, it’s even the same offense. And Farve threw multi INT’s when we had a top flight running game with Ahman Green. You talk about his penchant for picks as being “years ago” when actually it was last year. Farve’s being more careful because after what he did with the Jets, he’s scared shitless for his legacy. Can you imagine if ’08 had been Farve’s last year. He was greatly diminished in stature and now he’s being very, very careful not to revert to form. We used to use the old “carry the team on his back” excuse because we always had to make up some kind of excuse for Farve for something. If it wasn’t picks, it was Strahan or booze or drugs or the way he separated himself from his teamates. Now he’s not doing any of those things, well, almost any of those things. One thing motivates Farve, his jealousy of the way his hero, John Elway rode off into the sunset. Do not believe he gives one crap about the Minnesota Vikings, he does not. It has always been all about Brett. Mark my words, someday Brett Farve will be linked to a famous baseball player, and not Cal Ripken, but Roger Clemons.

Fan of Football says:Dec 2, 2009 3:17 PM

“And Farve threw multi INT’s when we had a top flight running game with Ahman Green. ”
You mean that “top flight” running game when Sherman wouldn’t go for it on 4th and 1? Or what about that “top flight” running game in 2007 that spotted Seattle 14 points to start the game and only rushed for 20 yards (1/10th of what the Giants rushed for ) in the NFCC game.
Favre also didn’t have to carry defenses who gave up 4th and 26 plays on the final drive of regulation, did he?

wrath4771 says:Dec 2, 2009 3:20 PM

Green Bay has never been a desirable place for free agents. It was a miracle the Packers got Reggie White to go there and it was Reggie who got a player like Seth Joyner to show up. Keith Jackson threatend to retire when Miami traded him to Green Bay and the only reason why he showed up was because Farve was throwing the ball all over the place on his way to winning three MVPs. Andre Rison had been cut by the Browns for bein an a-hole and figured he had a shot at a “cheap” ring. Charles Woodson only came to Green Bay because Tampa Bay wanted him to play safety and no one else wanted or was willing to give him the 10 million a year he got that first year. I lived in Green Bay for 5 years and think it gets a bad rap, but you’re never going to get an athelete from a big city who loves the night life to come to Wisconsin. Packer fans love to think that because White came to town everyone wants to be a Packer, but free agents look at Green Bay a rung higher than Cleveland. Fans bag on Thompson for not bringing in free agents, but he would have to over pay to get them to come here. If you look at Thompson’s drafts its my observation that he’s been loading up on players from the Midwest figuring he probably has a better shot of them staying around than some guy from Texas, Florida or California.

LBPACKFAN says:Dec 2, 2009 3:31 PM

Wrath4771 –
Good take on that…absolutely true as well.

Iwaboy says:Dec 2, 2009 3:34 PM

“It was a miracle the Packers got Reggie White to go there and it was Reggie who got a player like Seth Joyner to show up.”
Reggie White came for one reason, and one reason only, MONEY.http://www.nytimes.com/1993/04/07/sports/pro-football-packers-land-white-with-17-million-deal.html
The Packers offered to pay him the most. Free Agents will play if GB pays them the most. That’s how it’s always been (since ’92) and that’s how it will always be.
Read the article, the Saints offered more money and it looks like that TT may not have had a chance to match the offer. MM was comfortable in New Orleans. I don’t blame him or TT.

bluestree says:Dec 2, 2009 3:42 PM

@Fan of Foosball; Yes, that top flight running game when we had a premier O line and Green ranked consistently among the top rushers and all around yardage backs. Trying to dispute that by sighting one play here of there is a fallacious argument. The 4th and 26 play didn’t lose the game against the Eagles, Farve’s horrendous INT after that gave the Eagles back the ball and cost us the game. In ’07 our run game was good enough to put the game into overtime, Farve threw it away with no help from anyone (except that he tried to pin the blame on Driver). You got nothin’ son, as anyone who follows this knows well.

Hauschild says:Dec 2, 2009 3:42 PM

Anybody else think Teddy looks like a gray-haired version of the lead singer of the Talking Heads???
Creepy.

bluestree says:Dec 2, 2009 3:47 PM

@wrath4771; You nailed it. Players don’t want to come to the Packers because you have to live in Green Bay. It’s a fishbowl, there’s not much of an African American community, they have to bring in the players food from Milwaukee! Most of the players in Green Bay are Christian, or strong family men, or played at Iowa or Boise State. It has nothing to do with the franchise.

Bob Loblaw says:Dec 2, 2009 3:48 PM

bluestree, you’re still admitting that Favre is playing differently for the Vikings than he did for the Pack and Jets. That’s the point. He is playing different, which is why hoping for him to play the way he used to (and makingthe same mistakes) is so unlikely.

TheBaySay says:Dec 2, 2009 4:22 PM

McKenzie left GB long before Thompson arrived. Pretty much everyone thought Woodson was done as a CB when he came to GB and would have to be a free safety. I guess maybe Thompson made a good move there. He also brought in Pickett and Chillar, who have been solid to very good. And there’s a chance the Giants wish they had Grant back right now. Yes, Thompson has missed on many players too – something none of us ever do with the benefit of hindsight.
Favre is playing better this year because he’s on a mission, as when he came back from painkiller addiction. Also he gets to play all of his home games in controlled climate conditions, and the schedule maker gave him a gift with the Vikings having only one cold weather game – one in which he most likely will only play a series or two to keep his streak alive. The guy is flat-out amazing, but he’s not shown the ability to play well in cold weather the last couple of years.

bluestree says:Dec 2, 2009 4:23 PM

He is definitely not the same guy. No doubt about it. I’ve quit predicting his meltdown, because so far, he has shown nothing to indicate he will. All I’m saying is I don’t think you can give the credit to the Vikes offense or defense, AP, Chilly or Paul freakin’ Bunyan. It’s Farve. He’s decided to rein it in. For his own purposes. Just like in the past, he let it fly, for his own purposes. I’ve got a tape of Brett after the ’96 Superbowl win and he’s not a happy camper, very obviously. You don’t see him celebrate after the game, and all he talks about now is his audible on the second play. And the only reason I can see is because he didn’t win MVP. He was upstaged by Desmond Howard and he didn’t like it. That’s the real Brett Farve.

packers4life says:Dec 2, 2009 4:28 PM

I am not sure if McKenzie even wanted to come back to Green Bay. He didn’t like it there at all last time he was there and demanded a trade. Of course, that was when Mike Sherman was GM and in exchange for McKenzie, Sherman asked for J.T. O’Sullivan.

Fan of Football says:Dec 2, 2009 5:06 PM

Reading the last few comments from bluestree you got to be convinced he is an idiot. The Packer’s running game put the Giants game into overtime.. Favre looked “unhappy” to him after the SB. lol, it is like arguing with a 4 year old. What’s the point?

doughsellz says:Dec 2, 2009 6:13 PM

Quote from bluestree –
“I’ve got a tape of Brett after the ’96 Superbowl win and he’s not a happy camper, very obviously. You don’t see him celebrate after the game, and all he talks about now is his audible on the second play. And the only reason I can see is because he didn’t win MVP. He was upstaged by Desmond Howard and he didn’t like it. That’s the real Brett Farve.”
First of all the name is F-A-V-R-E, not Farve. You’ve only had 2 decades to learn how to spell it.
Many players who fianlly win the big one feel numbness due to the realization that it’s now over. The moment the Super Bowl ends, that’s it. You’re a champion yes, but the season is over & if playing the game is what you love to do then you just finished doing what you love until next season. It’s in his book. You may want to pick it up sometime to learn the facts instead making stuff up.

DCViking says:Dec 2, 2009 7:18 PM

Not surprising when Milli (Al Harris) went down, they looked to Vanilli (Mike McKenzie) to replace him
Girl you know its true….

Beer Cheese Soup says:Dec 2, 2009 8:24 PM

stetai says:
Name me one player that Ted Thompson managed to acquire when competing with anyone else.
He could not close a deal to save his life.
____________________________________
Exactly. Ted seems to finally be learning that Free Agency is a good thing (after ten years), but he still doesn’t understand that to use it properly, you have to actually spend money.
He’s been in over his head since day one. I just hope to God this season is the final straw.

packers4life says:Dec 2, 2009 11:08 PM

“Name me one player that Ted Thompson managed to acquire when competing with anyone else.
He could not close a deal to save his life.”
I know this isn’t a big named free agent but I think Thompson was competing with Arizona for Brandon Chillar but like I said he isn’t a big named free agent so it isn’t that big of a deal.

packers4life says:Dec 2, 2009 11:12 PM

“Tausher, Clifton, A. Green….McKenzie…sounds like the Packers are starting to realize how good they had it… First Ted Thompson runs ’em all out of town and now he wants ’em all back.”
Dude get a clue. Clifton was drafted in 2000 and has been here since then. And Mike Sherman was the one who ran McKenzie out a town. So next time you post, actually do a little research on a little something called Google. Or don’t you know what that is?

alphamail says:Dec 3, 2009 11:40 AM

A player will go where the most money is offered, followed by whether he stands a chance to win a championship, and then finally whether the location is hospitable.
Do you honestly think a football player earning millions gives a bleep about what there is to do on Monday in Green Bay, when he can fly anywhere on his bye week and live anywhere during the offseason?
Players want to earn money while they can since it’s not guaranteed, and they want to win. The Packers haven’t offered much money to free agents since Ted Thompson arrived, ergo, fewer FAs have chosen to go there. It’s pretty simple.
A player worried more about party spots and weather during the season isn’t focused and won’t last long in the pros.

footballrulz says:Dec 3, 2009 5:57 PM

Why is Fan_of_Four referred to as he? Has to be female with all that Favre love.
I just can’t get it thru some of you people’s heads.
Brett ain’t like that.

povertyrich says:Dec 5, 2009 2:25 PM

TheBaySay:
“Also he gets to play all of his home games in controlled climate conditions, and the schedule maker gave him a gift with the Vikings having only one cold weather game.”
—————————————————–
“I’d rather be lucky than good.”
I watched a lot of Favre’s post game press conferences in 2007, and he used that phrase in a number of them. He’s hit the jackpot this season.
You have to consider that he’s playing in Mall of America field (thank god the Twins are moving out of that dump) for a team that won the division last year with a 10-6 record, with their only double digit loss coming in the last game against Philly.
Additionally, you have to consider the fact that the only time the Vikings have been down at the end of three this season was in the loss to the Steelers. In the other 10 games, all wins, they have been up by an average of 12 points after three. In the two wins against the Packers, they were up by 14 and 4 points after three.
Anyone who has actually watched Favre play football, and has not simply worshiped at the idol, knows that he doesn’t play well when he’s behind by more than a score in the fourth quarter. He hasn’t had to do that this season once. That’s why he’s not throwing picks.
Let him win his Super Bowl this year. It’ll be lamer than Elway hiding his way into the sunset behind that running game.